Safety nursery barrier



June 13, 1950 F. D. PRICE SAFETY NURSERY BARRIER Filed Dec. 29, 1949 /4 2*] 25 I l I l l u 1 t 1 1 1 l l 1 1 I 1 30 23 l Z9 24 l 2; i I I L [k 1 Y t l W Q. A l I 8 I\ 7 r\ 21 l zaa/za w WM fli 50a Patented June 13, 1950 SAFETY NURSERY BARRIER Frank D. Price, Minneapolis, Minn., asslgnor to Joseph P. McCarthy, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 29, 1949, Serial No. 135,577

8 Claims.

My invention relates to portable infants gates or barriers and is particularly adapted to household use for temporarily closing normally open passageways, stairways, or the like, and is in the nature of a continuation in part of my copending application S. N. 62,945, filed December 1, 1948, entitled Safety nursery barrier, and herewith abandoned.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described, which is extremely light in weight, readily portable, easy to operate, and durable in construction.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described in which the expanding and contracting panels are normally locked against retracting movements and in which the means for releasing said locking means is normally inaccessible to infants.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a combination operating rod and transporting handle, whereby to facilitate transportation of the safety gate.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of my novel device, one side wall thereof being removed;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the rack and pinion mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, my novel device comprises upper and lower generally parallel frame-forming mem- It will be noted, particularly by reference to Fig. 2, that the upper and lower members I and 2 respectively are provided with opposed channels 8. Slidably mounted within said recesses l with their upper and lower ends slidably received within said channels are panels 9. Preferably and as shown, the panels 9 are of a width substantially equal to the width of the recesses 1 whereby said panels may be completely retracted therewithin. Furthermore, the projected side edges Ill of the panels 9 are preferably provided with compressible material H such as sponge rubber stripping. A verticallydisposed operating rod I2 is centrally positioned within the intermediate chamber 6 and has its upper end projecting through an opening l3 in the upper frame member I for rotary movements therein. Rod l2 terminates above the plane of said frame member I in a laterally outwardly-extended handle portion M. The lower end of operating rod I2 is journalled for rotation in a transverse mounting member l5 which has its opposite ends rigidly secured to the intermediate portions of vertical frame members 3. Overlying the mounting member l5 and fast on the operating rod I2 is a pinion l6. As shown particularly by reference to Fig. 4, a pair of laterally-spaced rack members I! likewise overlie the mounting member l5 and have meshing engagement with diametrically opposite sides of the pinion l6. An inverted U-shaped guide bracket l8 notched centrally, as indicated at l9, to permit passage therethrough of the operating rod [2, is secured by means of nails or the like 20 to the mounting member l5. As shown,

member I8 acts as a guide for the inner ends intermediate portion of the channels 9.

hers I and 2 respectively and vertically-disposed V laterally-spaced frame members 3 which have their opposite ends rigidly connected to the upper and lower frome members at points inwardly spaced from the opposite ends of the latter.

Front and rear side wall-members 4 and 5 re- As shown, upper frame member I is comprised of upper and lower members la and lb respectively and intermediate portions [0 which are spaced from each other at their central portions, whereby to provide a laterally-opening recess 23. Within the recess 23 is a ratchet gear 24 fast on the operating rod l2. As shown, the recess 23 is only slightly higher than the thickness of the ratchet gear 24, whereby to limit vertical movements of the operating rod l2. Also mounted within the recess 23 by means of a vertically-extended pivot pin 25 is a pawl 26, which is biased toward engagement with the ratchet gear 24 by means of a coil spring 21 seated in a recess 28. As shown, the pawl 28 is provided with a laterally-extended operating portion 29 which extends laterally outwardly through an opening 30 in the rear side wall 5.

From the above, it will be obvious that, by turning the operating handle l4 and the operating rod l2 in a counter-clockwise direction, the racks I! will impart retracting movements to the panels 9 until they are completel concealed within the recesses 1. The structure is thus reduced to its minimum size for storage or transportation. The latter may be accomplished by lifting upwardly upon the handle l4 much as one would a valise, suitcase, or the like.

When it is desired to use the same to close off an open stairway or the like, the gate is positioned with the front wall 4 facing the inside of the room in which the infant is to be con fined. The operating rod i2 is then turned in a clockwise direction whereupon the pinion IE3, acting through racks ll, will extend the panels 9 laterally outwardly through the open ends of the recesses l to a point where the padded edges ii of the panels 9 are forced against opposite or walls at which point the pawl 26, acting through ratchet gear 24, will prevent retracting movements of the panels 9. In this manner, the gate may be caused to frictionally en age the walls with sufficient force to prevent removal thereof by an infant. A great safety factor lies in the fact that the panels 9 may not be retracted without manually releasing the pawl 26 from engagement with the ratchet 24 by force being brought to bear upon the projecting operating end portion 29 of the pawl 26 which extends outwardly through the opening Si? in the rear side wall which is not accessible to the infant.

My device has been completely tested and found to be satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objectives; and, while I have shown a commercial form of my invention, it should be obvious that the same is capable of considerable modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, upper lower frame members, laterally-spaced frame members connecting the upper and lower frame members at points inwardly spaced from the opposite ends thereof, side wall-forming members overlying said frame member and defining therewith an intermediate chamber and a pair of recesses which open laterally in opposite directions, a panel in each of said recesses slidably mounted for extensible and retractable movements through said openings, a verticallydisposed operating rod centrally positioned within said intermediate chamber and projecting upwardl through the upper frame member, a pinion on said rod within said chamber, a pair of laterally-spaced racks within said chamber having meshing engagement with opposite sides I a laterally-extended hand grip to facilitate carriage thereof.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the upper and lower frame members within said recesses are formed to provide opposed channels, said panels being slidably received within said channels.

4. The structure defined i claim 1 in further combination with a ratchet gear on said operating rod, and a pawl biased toward engagement with said ratchet, said pawl being provided with an extended operating portion which projects laterally outwardly through and is accessible only from one of said side wall-forming members.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the outwardly-projected edges of said panels are provided with compressible rubber-like material.

6. In a device of the class described, upper and lower generally parallel frame members, laterally-' spaced vertical frame members rigidly connected to the upper lower frame members at points inwardly spaced from opposite ends thereof, side wall-forming members overlying said frame members and defining therewith a generally rectangular intermediate chamher and a pair of generally rectangular recesse which open laterally in opposite directions, said upper and lower frame members within'said recesses being provided with opposed channels, a panel slidably received in the opposed channels within said recesses for extensible and retractable movements in and out of said open in'gs, a transverse mounting member within said chamber having its opposite ends rigidly connected to the intermediate portion of said vertical frame members, a vertically-disposed operating rod centrally'positioned within said intermediate chamber and having its lower end journalled in said transverse mountin member, said operating member projecting upwardly through said upper frame member and terminating thereabove in a laterally-projected gripping element, a pinion fast on said operating rod adjacent said mounting member, means limiting vertical movement of said rod, a pair of laterall -spaced racks having meshing engagement with opposite sides of said pinion, said racks having their outer ends secured one each to one of said panels whereby rotation of said operating rod will cause simultaneous extensible and retractable movements to he imparted to said panels, guide means for said racks within said chamber, a horizontally-extending opening in said upper frame member, a ratchet gear within said opening fast on said operating rod, and a pawl within said opening biased toward engagement with said ratchet normall locking said operating rod against panel retracting movements, said pawl being provided with an extended operating portion which projects outwardly through an opening in the rear Wall member.

'7. The structure defined in claim 6 in which said pinion overlies said mounting member and in which said mounting member is included in said rack guiding means.

8. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said laterally-spaced frame members limit rctra'cting movements of the adjacent panel.

FRANK D. PRICE.

No references cited. 

